Fashion Outlets expansion is a go

by jmaloni

Wed, Oct 2nd 2013 11:55 pm

Viewing 1 of 3

by Susan Mikula Campbell

The Town of Niagara Town Board on Tuesday
jubilantly gave final approval for the expansion of Fashion Outlets of Niagara.

The board approved several resolutions regarding
the expansion, including the site plan, needed rezoning and subdivision, and
the negative environmental impact statement for the State Environmental Quality
Review Act.

Doug Morrow, vice president of development for
Macerich Partnership, mall owners, expects to have shovels in the ground
immediately, probably starting with remediation work at the former Sabre Park
site. They are looking for a fall 2014 completion date for the project.

About 82 percent of store leases are either out
or in negotiation, Morrow said, adding that he plans to start announcing the
names of major tenants in the first quarter of 2014.

"We're very excited and happy to be in this
community," he said, grateful for the assistance of Supervisor Steve Richards,
the Town Board, the town's planning and zoning boards, the county and State
Sen. George Maziarz to bring the expansion together. "We're looking forward to
bringing new and exciting things to Fashion Outlets of Niagara."

"This is the
largest expansion of a private business in our town in my lifetime," said
Richards of the project that is expected to cost roughly $90 million by the
time it is completed. "We're blessed to have them in our town."

Richards noted
that taxes in the town were expected to go down under his proposed 2014 budget
now being studied by the Town Board, but if the mall expansion was already done
today, he estimated taxes could be lowered by an additional $1.37 per $1,000
assessed value.

He added that
the expansion will mean a boost to other existing businesses and restaurants
along Military Road's "golden triangle," as well as correct the drainage
problems in that area of town.

Morrow said the
project is expected to create about 925 construction jobs, including 450 direct
jobs at the property and 475 indirect construction jobs for suppliers and
subcontractors.

Several
representatives of local construction workers spoke prior to the meeting in
favor of the project.

"We're ready to
go," said Jeff Salvatore, chief estimator for Mark Cerrone Inc. After a year
working with the California-based Macerich, Salvatore said, "One thing we've
learned about Macerich is they're all about giving back to the community."

Russ
Quarantillo, business manager, and Dave Naus, president, of IBEW Local 237,
both commented on new jobs the expansion will bring and noted that their wives
and kids can't wait to shop at the new stores.

Town Board
members were equally enthusiastic about the project and cited not only the
construction jobs the project will bring, but the full- and part-time jobs that
will result when the project is completed.

"It's nice to
see that at least at a local level of government we're helping create jobs,"
said Councilman Rob Clark.

The mall
expansion describes the phrase "win-win situation," said Councilman Danny
Sklarski. "It's a great project. The Town of Niagara welcomes you with open
arms, and Niagara County welcomes you," he said.

The proposed
project affects the current mall at 1900 Military Road (41.3 acres) and
includes the former Sabre Park mobile home park (33.87 acres), the Elk's Lodge
(1.9 acres) and Secure Storage (3.45 acres), all on Fashion Outlets Boulevard.
It will provide some 175,000 square feet of new retail space, plus additional
parking.

Morrow said the
expansion will result in about 164 full-time retail jobs and roughly 458
part-time jobs. In three years, he expects Fashion Outlets of Niagara to
provide a total of 2,500 jobs.

Based on suggestions by Richards, Macerich has
added several improvements to the project to ease traffic congestion, including
new stoplights and a turning lane on Military Road, plus from two to five
interior connection points between Factory Outlets and the Benderson Development-owned
Walmart area. The connection points will allow shoppers to go between the two
without going out on Military Road or Fashion Outlets Boulevard.